bisquit

I am the world's cheapest man. I hate sales taxes and fees of all kinds. I even hate paying for what I'm buying. With that as your backdrop, I hope to receive advice on the least costly way to arm myself. Last year, with only a 2x4, I had to go two rounds with some guy robbing my house and raiding my fridge. I destroyed my house with that 2x4, but the bad guy got away. He had a small mickey mouse gun that never went off.

I want to buy a gun that'll shoot even if it's been in my closet for ten years with absolutely no attention. I don't necessarily want to kill anyone, but I'd like to drop the crook robbing my house in his tracks. The gun can't be a canon, a woman may have to use it.

There are gun shows around here regularly — I want to buy privately, I want to avoid a lemon, I'll pay cash, and I don't want to mortgage my house. I live in Florida — very lenient gun laws. Questions: should I bother with a bill of sale using drivers licenses both way for ID? Can anyone suggest the wording? In my limited reading, I'm sort of focussing on a small S&W in 38 cal. Will a snubbie work? If not, how much barrel do I need?. Since I want minimum maintenance — am I talking stainless? Even friends who don't know up from down are advising against Taurus even though I like the prices better. All I know to do in checking a used revolver (preferred over a pistol), is to shake the cylinder back and forth (I read that).

I have an open mind, please help me think this through.